Refrigerating apparatus



Sep@ 23 192% Lgll P. FISCHBACHER.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2. 1920 2 Shams-Sheet l -parts is reduced to a Patented sept. 23, 1924.

UNITEDA S'ATES YPHILIII FISCHBACHER, or QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Application tiled February 2, 1920. Serial No. 355,734.

useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the fication.

This invention relates to -refrigerating plants.

One object' of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, relatively inexpensive,

following is a specii and efiicient refrigerating plant wherein the cost of the refrigerating process is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide simple and eiiicient means whereby the temperature of the condensingr medium is automatically maintained within certain predetermined limits.

-Another object is to provide a simple and etlicient double-cylinder, double-'acting compressor wherein stuffing boxes'are eliminated.

Another `object is to provide a simple refrigerating plant wherein the number of minimum and are siniple in themselves,.and which cooperate in a manner to meet all the, remiirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view somewhat diagrammatic in form and in part being a vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same, omitting the main part of the evaporating coil; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional View of the water regulating valve.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the` appended claims. l

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that I have disclosed a refrigerating plant including a Huid compressor which has two adjacently arranged parallel cylinders 10 and 11 formed integrally in a single block. Mounted in these cylinders for reciprocation therein are two pistons 12 and 13 which are connected to each other and to a single connecting rod 14 by Vwhich moves therein.

a single wrist pin 15. walls of the cylinders 10 a'nd'll are provided with elongated openings 16 and 17 which are suiiciently long to whatsoever to the movement of the wrist pin Each 'of the pistons 1s provided with four piston rings 18 to make the samesubstantially fluid tight within the cylinders. lLocated .at each end of each of the cylinders is a valve 19, the valve in each case having a stem 20 slidably and guidably mounted in an apertured boss 21 ormed on the inner side of a cylinder cover 22. rlhe cylindercover in each case preferbly is screwed into the ends of the cyliner. aga-inst the valve 19 for normally maintain'- ing the same in a closed position isa coil spring 23. The upper .central portion 24 of the integrally-formed cylinders is provided with an inlet opening 25 in communication.

with one end 25 of an evaporating coil 26. The cylinder inlet opening I25 opens into the central'chamber 27 intermediate the cylinders l0 and 11.v Formed in the inner Walls v28 of the cylinders at two different points along the lengths of the cylinders are a plurality of apertures 29 which connect the chamber 27 with the compression chambers of the cylinders. It is apparent, therefore, that when the pistons are drawn into their downward position, as shown in Figure' 1l of the drawings, gas from the evaporating coil is drawn therefrom through chamber 2T, upper apertures: 29, into the upper compression chambers of the cylinders, it being understood that the apertures or upper ports 29 at this time are uncovered. On the upward stroke of the pistons the apertures or ports 29 will be covered by the pistons and the gas in the upper ends of said cylinders con'ipressed, causing, at the proper instant, the upper valves 19 to open against the tension of the springs 28, the conlpressed refrigerating agent then passing outwardly through a pipe connection 30 in the form of a gas or liquid, or both, into a. relatively large annular integrally-formed condenser 31, wl 'ch surrounds and is spaced from the centrally-located cylindersl() and 11. This condenser preferably is inI one piece and is made of steel. By making the condenser in the form shown, cracks in the materal are avoided, and `accordingly leakage is avoided. Much trouble encountered The inner vadjacent permit the full stroke l of the pistons without any interference` Surrounding the boss 21 and pressingl withlthe coil type of condenser is thereby eliminated. In this condenser the discharged gases of the refrigerating agent are converted from a gas to a liquid' form preparatory to passing into the receiver, to be mentioned hereinafter. It will be understood that as the pistons are moved upwardly,'not only do they compress the refrigerating agent in the upper compressor chambers of the cylinders, but also at the same time when the lower apertures or ports 29 are uncovered, the gas or refrigeratiiig agent is drawn from the central chamber .27 through the said apertures 2,9 into the` lower coinpression cliambers of the two cylinders. Accordingly, when Athe pistons are moved downwardly, the refrigeratinf;r agent in the lower compression chambers of the pistons is compressed and forced outwardly through the lower valves 19 and upwardly through passageways 32 in the cylinder block, and

' through the same pipe connetions 30 into the same condenser 31. The discharge or outlet valves 19 have a diameter equal to the'diameter of the cylinder boi-esso that if any liquid or other foreign matters are formed or pass in to the compression chambers of the cylinder, no injury will be done tothe head of the cylinders as a large free lso f strap 33 surrounding an eccentric discharge passage is provided. It. will be seen, therefore, that this refrigerating machine includes the .double-cylinder, doubleacting compressor or fluid engine, the pistons of which are actuatedv through the single wrist pin 15 and connecting rod 14, which in this case terminates in an eccentric 34 mounted upon one end of the main drive shaft 35, which has mounted thereon a worm gear 36 drivenr by a worm 37, the shaft 35 being mounted in a bearing or sleeve 38 preferably crank case 39 of the machine, and one end of the shaft being mounted in an end bearing 40 formed integrally with a side cover 41 for the base secured thereto by any suitable means. Of course, it will be appreciated that the connecting rod may be driven by any other suitable mechanism, but in any event, it will be noted that the use of stu'l fing boxes in connection with the cylinders has been entirely eliminated, thereby overcoming leakages of the refrigeratzingmedium therethrough, especially on the high pressure side. At this point it may be stated that the integrally-formed cylinders are mounted upon the crank case or base 39 by means of a tongue and groove arrangement .42 made tight by lead gaskets therein, the crank case and cylinders being rigidly held to each other by any suitable means, such as bolts 43. The two chambers 44: and 45 within the crank case 39 are full of oil and grease to cover all bearings and working parts of the compressor, ccordingly, not

formed integrally with the base or `the pressure of t only are the Vparts well lubricated thereby, but as a result of this arrangement no air can be .drawn into said chambers-when saine are under vacuum. This results-in aI machine practically air-tight.

From an inspection of Figures 1l and- 2 it will be noted that the incoming gases have contact with the walls pression cylinders,throughout substantially i serve to cool`.the gases under compression,

vthereby saving considerable effort in compressing said gases and permitting a reduction in the condenser.

lt will be noted also that the pistons12, 13 operate the A'valves 19, 19. by engaging the inner sides of said valves, whereby, whenvsaid pistons 12, 13 engage said valves they carry said valves along with'theni in the opening operation of said valves.

Whensaid pistons -move in directions to permit'a the closing of the valves 19, 19 said. valves follow said pistons in with until said valves become seated.j By reason of this construction, all thefgases are expelled from thecylinders after` compression, whereby no compressed gal main. when the intakestroke begins. structure. is of advantage inasmuch as troubles due to expansion of unexpelled gases are eliminated and th compressors as now commonly known and.

used is improved upon.

In combination with the advantages' above noted is the tlieadvantage and efficiency of double acting pistons, but does this without stuiiing boxes and without reducing the effective area 'of either piston bythe cross-sectional area. of a piston rod.

The re'fi'igerating agent is pressed into tlie` willbe maintained at the level lor the over` e eiliciency of` close contactv there-` advantage that the structure `according to the present' invention `retains flow or waste p1 el 48. ,-Forexainple, while 4 ie refrigerating agent mayv be at about tive pounds per square inch in the evaporating coil 26, which forms a part of thelow pressure side of the system, the pressure of the refrigerating agent in the condenser, which forms a part of the high pressure side of the system will be, forex;r

ample, at about onehundred fiftypoundal Iwithin certain predetermined limits. Ac-

cordingly, the condensing fluid or water iwithin the casing 46 must be maintained .Suilciently low in temperature at all times to be effective for condensing the retrigerating agent in the condenser 31. Normally, the body of condensing water in the casing 46 is at rest. However, to maintain the water in said casing at an e-licient, condensing temperature, at times relatively cold water inust be supplied to said; casing. I have promeans for automatically controlling means comprising a iegulating valve 49,

which is in communication with the lower end .ofthe condenser through a pipe 50.

' .3@ Mounted within the casing 51 of the valve 49 is a diaphragm ,52, the upper side of whichl is exposed to the pressure within the condenser 31 and the lower side of which is engaged by an enlarged plate-like por tion 53 `of a valve stem 54, the lower end* of which terminates in a valve 55 which controls communication between an inlet cold water pipe 56 and a cold Water supply pipe 57 extending between the valve 49 and the casing 46. Properly graduated springs 58 and 59-operate on the valve 55 and its stem on one side of the diaphragm 52, so that` only ,when the pressure within the condenser 31 rises above a predetermined point oes the valve 55 open to automatically permit the supply of cold water to the casing '46, whereupon the condenser, and therefore the whereupon the valve 55 `is closed to revent for the time being a further supply ci) coldwater to the casing 46. It will be u-nderstood that the relatively warm .'waterin the.upper'party of the casing 46 will flow off through the overflow pipe 48. he' pip@Jv 50 has aV valve 60 for controlling pressure, fall, automatically anycommunicationlor pressure between the condenser 31 and the regulating valve 49.

61 is open, the oil at the bottom At this point I wish to mention the fact that any oil which is transmitted through the system is collected in the bottom of the condenser 31, and to drain this oil out of the system I have provided a connection 61 between the pipe 50 and theoil chamber 44, whereby when the valve 62 in the connection of the condenser Will be forced under pressure through 'the pipes 51 and 61 into the oil chamber 44.

The refrigerating agent is passed from the condenser in the form of a liquid through the A.pipe 63 into a liquid receiver 64. If

l for any reason any part of the refrigerating agentv takes the i form of a gas within the ."liquid receiver 64, such gas is passed back into the upper end of the condenser through an equalizing pipe 65, thereby equalizing temperature within the the pressure in the receiver and condenser. This liquid receiver preferably is mounted upon the base plate of the apparatus and forms a part of the unit. It will be understood that the pressure. of the refrigerating agent in the liquid receiveris relatively high. The high is connected to the-low pressure side thereof through any suitable automatic expansion valve 6 6, the liquid which passes through the expansion panding and being transformed into a. gas which passes through a pipe 67 entering the upper end of theevaporating coil 26, wherein thegas further expands. As is well understood inthe art,`thc gas within the evaporatingcoil is at a very low temperature. For example, with a live-pound pressure of gas within the evaporating coil, the temperature of said gas will be 15 below zero.V This evaporating coil 26 may be located in a compartment of an ice box, and, as a matter of fact, 4the whole refrigerating Vunit may be mounted within ice boxes varying from small to large units, -in accordance with requirements. From what has been stated l1ereinabove,'it is appreciated that as the pistons 12 and 13 are actuated within their cylinders, the low pressure gas in the evaporatingcoil 26 is drawn into the cylinders and compressed and forced into the condenser where such gases are recondensed and put under high pressure, whereupon they are passed into the liquid receiver and then ont throiwh the pipe 67 back into the evaporating coil, completing the refrigerating cycle.

I claim z- L'In a compressor, the combination -o adjacently arranged cylinders having a space therebetween, double .acting pistons mounted for reciprocating movement in said cylinders, a pin connecting said pistons, means for communicating refrigerant to said space, a driving member connected to .said pin and movably mounted in-tsaid space, and a lubricating medlum foijsald Vdriving member forming' a seal to prevent ingress of air from the prcssor to said space. i k' 2. In refrigerating apparatus, in combination, a crank case containing lubricatingl medium, compression cylinders mounted outside of said"y com- 'upon and closely sealed to said crank case,

pressure side of the system where ammonia is used to said cylinder on the two sides of said pistons, said ports being positioned to be selectively covered and uncovered in reciprocation of said pistion. A

3. In a refrigerating plant, means providing a pairof parallel cylinders having a chamber therebetween for the admission ot' refrigerant, double acting pistons in said cylinders and driving means in said chainber for communicating motion to said pistons, a 'crank case, said cylinders being mounted upon and sealed to said crank case, mechanism within said crank case for actuating said driving means, and lubricant within said` crank case for preventing the passage of gas from said cylinders through r said crank cas'e.

4. In a refrigerating plant, in combination, means providing a pair of parallel cylinders and a chamber therebetween for the admission or refrigerant, a crank case, double acting pistons in said cylinders,

driving means in said chamber for communicating motion to said pistons, said means being mounted upon and sealed to said crank case, means within said crank y 'being provided with common driving means,

a crank case, said irst. mentioned means being mounted upon and sealed to said crank case, said crank case being provided with means for actuating said common driving 40 means and being provided with lubricant to constitute a seal between said cylinders and' the outside air.

Signed at Chicago, of January, 1920.

PHILIP FISCHBACHER Illinois, this 20th day 

